Mongolian Khan may have perfect racing manners, but away from the racetrack he is an impossible horse to deal with. He may not be a man-eater, but he's not far off it.
"We couldn't find out why he went so badly in the Rosehill Guineas because in his box you can't get near him to put a needle in him to get a blood off him," said senior trainer Murray Baker.
Baker is not one of the best trainers in the business by accident and he went about changing Mongolian Khan's training pattern and it worked. In fact, it worked so well there was considerable confidence in the camp that he could do the business, particularly when it looked as if rain would eliminate most of the main chances.
Volkstok'n'barrell was expected to be one of those.
That he was able to finish third, three-quarters of a length and a neck off the winner, shows what a fabulous horse he really is and what an exciting prospect he could be in his 4-year-old career.
"He tried his heart out," said trainer Donna Logan yesterday.
"He was entitled to lay down and be crying this morning, but he ate up overnight and he's full of himself this morning.
"It was a gusty, gusty effort."
When Craig Williams shot Volkstok'n'barrell through along the inside to challenge on the home bend it looked as though the combination might pull off the impossible, but Mongolian Khan was just too strong in the testing conditions.
"He just loves a fight and when he had to push between Hauraki and Volkstok'n'barrell he loved it," said Bosson.
Runner-up Hauraki confirmed the huge opinion James McDonald has of the up-and-comer.
"But it came up a bit too quickly for him, which says a lot about him," said McDonald.
Asian-owned Mongolian Khan will be set for the Caulfield/Melbourne Cup double and he looks dour enough for those races, certainly the Melbourne Cup.
There could be further good news for the Kiwis this Saturday when New Zealand Oaks winner Savaria takes on the best Australian staying fillies in the Australian Oaks. Although it is hard to measure the difference in form between the two countries, the hosts do not appear to be a vintage crop, with perennial placegetter Thunder Lady, trained by John Sargent, a leading hope.
The New Zealand-bred filly chased Set Square home in the Crown Oaks at Flemington last spring after winning the Wakeful Stakes.
A further point in Savaria's favour is that top jockey James McDonald has taken the mount.
In other news, last Saturday's Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes winner at Te Aroha, Diademe, has accepted for the Queen Of The Turf Stakes over 1600m.
Unfortunately, she has copped the visitors' draw of 15 in a field of 15. Even more unfortunately, she is up against Catkins and First Seal.
Fields for the feature events:
R6: 2.35 Seven News Australian Oaks 2400m. - Thunder Lady, Winx (1), Fenway (8), Savaria (12), Candelara (2), Sweet And Speedy (6), Wine Tales (5), Adrift (3), Rustic Melody (10), Ballet Suite (13), Wildenstein (4), Gust Of Wind (7), Zarzali (9) 56.
R8: 3.55 Sydney Cup 3200m. - Protectionist (2) 58; Dominant (5), Red Cadeaux (12) 56.5; Who Shot Thebarman (10) 54.5; Au Revoir (9) 54; Hartnell (7), Akzar (11), Big Memory (1), Like A Carousel (6), Renew (3), Grand Marshal (4), Don Doremo (8) 52.
R9: 4.35 Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2000m. - Contributer (13), Criterion (4), Happy Trails (9), Red Cadeaux (3), Fiveandahalfstar (7), Beaten Up, Spillway (6), Aomen (2) 59; Adelaide (12), To The World (5), Tosen Stardom (11) 58.5; Royal Descent (10), Lucia Valentina (8) 57.
